Reminder of the Past
by sarahlovestwilightyesshedoes
Summary: Sophie Morton is an eighteen-year-old girl studying to become a stage actress. But when she falls through a man hole and meets a mysterious man, her life changes. R&R! Demetri x OC. Post Breaking Dawn. Rated T because I'm paranoid. BREAKING DAWN SPOILERS.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

"Oof!"

I landed flat on my butt on a cold stone floor. As I got up, I realized I had fallen through a loose manhole in an alleyway. I had been running away from my cousin when I fell (the dweeb). Even though I wasn't quite sure where I was at the moment, I was glad Derek wasn't torturing me (you have no idea what that kid can think up).

I also had a nagging suspicion that I wasn't alone down here. And I was also pretty sure this wasn't a sewer.

It was a tunnel.

That's why I always carried a flashlight. I took the pocket-sized light out of my bag and turned it on. I did a three-sixty spin, and then the light landed on a very pale man - his skin was so pale it was almost white - and he seemed to sparkle in the glow from my flashlight. But his skin wasn't what almost made me pee my pants in fear. It was his eyes.

They were a shade of deep crimson.

I dropped the small light in shock. I bit my lip, trying to hold back a scream. Then I realized why I had dropped my flashlight - my hands were trembling.

"Well, what are you doing down here?" said a positively beautiful voice. I realized it was the strange man.

Why did such a frightening person have to have such a gorgeous voice? Just from looking at him I knew he was something sinister. Something evil. Something that wanted to hurt me. The man bent down and picked up my flashlight, handing it to me.

"Is this yours?" he asked in that musical voice of his. I had to be a moron and stutter. He must have thought my mother forgot to teach me basic motor skills. As he came closer to me, I suddenly realized his voice wasn't the only thing that was beautiful; it was all of him. Despite the eyes, he was physically quite attractive. His dark brown, almost black, hair hung down to his chin, and he had it tucked behind his ears. His face was perfectly symmetrical. It was like staring at an angel. And he was dressed in a gray cloak that went down to his feet. Odd.

"Um, uh...well, y-yes, that's mine," I stammered as I took the flashlight from his hand. I realized his skin was freezing, like he just spent the whole day curled up in a freezer. I jerked my hand back, a knee-jerk reaction.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, sounding...appalled. Like there was nothing wrong with his hand and the way I had acted was rude and uncalled for.

"Well, your hand is...so cold, and...well...it sorta shocked me at first...I'm really sorry, that was just a knee-jerk reaction."

Wow, Sophie. That was just _brilliant_....NOT.

He cocked his head the side slightly. Then, he whipped around to face someone, it looked like. I followed his gaze and saw the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life. She had long mahoghany-colored hair that hung down to her waist, and she was dressed in a tight pink tube top and a black silk mini skirt, with black fishnet stockings and four-inch high heels. Her eyes were a strange shade of violet, absolutely alluring. The way she was dressed immediately made me label her as a slut, but I couldn't deny that she was drop-dead gorgeous.

"Demetri, I didn't know Aro sent you fishing today," the woman said, obviously not expecting to see me or him. So, his name was Demetri...interesting. And surprisingly old-fashioned. He didn't look a day over twenty. And what did she mean by fishing? And who the hell is Aro?

"He didn't. This hum- _young lady_ fell through the manhole, and I was considering letting her go on her way, but I wasn't sure," he replied.

The woman's strange-colored eyes did this shifty thing, and that automatically freaked me out. Who _does_ that? Her voice was low and quick, and I had to lean forward slightly to hear was she was saying. Demetri noticed, and put his arm across my chest and pushed me back, and I was surprised by his strength. I caught the conversation, though.

"Listen to me, Demetri," she pleaded, "What if she heard one of us talking? Maybe we should just kill her."

I was shocked by her words, and listened intently for Demetri's response.

"Heidi, don't be so paranoid. There was nobody else here besides me and her. And it wasn't like I was talking to myself about...well, you know, of course," he replied quickly.

Okay, I was thoroughly confused. Should I speak up? By the way Heidi kept shooting dirty looks at me, probably not. _What in the seventh level of hell are they talking about?_ I thought to myself.

"Yes, yes." She seemed impatient, and her expression clearly said _"Get on with it!"_

Demetri frowned and looked at me. His gaze was cold and hard, and I shivered. He turned back to Heidi. I realized it was freezing down here, and my sleeveless, white eyelet lace sundress wasn't keeping me warm. I leaned against the stone wall of the tunnel and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep warm by using my own body heat. Then, Demetri said something that completely caught me off-guard.

"We can't let her go. She's already seen enough of us. We should take her to ancients, don't you agree?" Ancients? Huh? Did they worship some god or goddess I'd never heard of? My confusion deepened. Heidi nodded her agreement, and jerked her head, motioning for me to follow. _No way in hell am I following her!_ I thought. I decided to make a running leap and jump out of the manhole and back onto the street. My roomate, Izzy, was probably worried sick by now. I didn't how on earth I was going to explain what had happened, but at the time I honestly didn't care. I turned and ran.

After a few strides, I reached the manhole. I jumped up, but I felt a cold hand grasp my ankle and yank me back down. I let out a shriek of defiance and started kicking, trying to get whoever was grabbing me to let go, but it was useless. I hit the stone floor with a loud thump. I felt my ankle twisting, and I yelped in pain. I looked up to see Heidi and Demetri looking down on me.

"Get up," Heidi spat.

All I wanted to say was _"What the hell?"_ I just sprained my ankle and she wanted me to get up and walk? Gosh, this girl had issues. But, as the people-pleaser I was, I got up but then immediately fell back down again, hissing in pain.

"What's wrong? Did you forget how to stand up?" she sneered. I wanted nothing more than to punch her lights out. My hands actually balled up into fists. I looked up at her, and was shocked at what I saw. Her eyes weren't that odd shade of violet anymore - they were the same shade as Demetri's, chilling crimson. Ignoring the startling change in her eye color, I glared.

"What is _wrong_ with you? Do you think this is some sick game?" I demanded. "I just sprained my damn ankle, I can't walk! What do you _want_ from me?" All the annoyance was bubbling up now. I was royally pissed off, and I wanted her to know it. "Just, please, _please_ let me go home. I don't what the hell's going on here, and I don't _want _to know, so you don't have to worry about anything at all. Now, if one of you would be so kind as to help me up out of this hell hole - no pun intended - I'll go home, and pretend none of this ever happened. You can forget about me completely."

Heidi just laughed. Demetri didn't so much as twitch during my little speech. I looked into his eyes and seen something there that I recognized but didn't understand...concern, sympathy. But _why_? I wasn't anything special. Just an eighteen-year-old girl, fresh out of high school, studying to become a stage actress. I tried Broadway, but they said in order to get in, I needed credentials. So, I shipped myself off to Volterra, Italy, a small town about a half an hour away from Florence. Now, frankly, I wasn't sure if I was getting out of this hole in the ground alive.

Demetri gave me his hand and, reluctantly, I took it. He helped me up. My ankle was in worse shape than I thought. In order to support me, he threw his right arm around my shoulders and I put my left arm around his waist. In a way, it felt awkward. But he bent down and whispered in my ear, his voice low and quick, like Heidi's had been earlier. I noticed her voice had the same ringing bell tone quality as Demetri's.

"I'm going to try to help you out of this," he murmured softly. His cold, sweet breath brushed the inside of my ear, and I shivered. I only just realized we were walking down the tunnel, Heidi strutting - no, twitching would be a better word; if the girl shook her butt any more she was going to break something - ahead of us.

"How? Heidi sounded pretty serious when she said you two should kill me," I whispered back, my voice not as soft as his. Everybody said my voice sounded like a little girl's; now, my voice sounded whiny compared to his.

He tensed (he must not have realized I heard Heidi say that), then put his lips to my ear. I was trying desperately not to show I was thoroughly enjoying this.

"That is not something for you to worry about. You...remind me of someone I once knew. I'd like to help you. Are you rejecting my help?"

I wasn't, really. Just shocked. As they say, never look a gift horse in the mouth.

"No, no!" I whispered back. "I'm not, really! I'm just...surprised, that's all."

"Then play along with whatever I say. Don't worry about anything. You are _not_ going to die today, my lady."

The ferocity he used in his voice made me feel like he really _did_ care about me. Then I looked into his eyes, the startling color of them making my self-preservation instincts come to the surface.

I didn't show it, but I was truly terrified.

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**Kay, there's the first chapter! Second chapter'll be up tomorrow! REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

After a few moments, we reached a large wrought iron gate. Heidi rapped on the wall a few times, and a little blond walked up to the gate, who Heidi addressed as Corin, and she opened it for us. We walked down another dark, dank tunnel, the only light being several torches. When we reached the end of the next tunnel, Heidi opened another door (hmm, would this be one of those halls that just didn't end?) and we stepped into what seemed to be a waiting room. The walls were white, the carpet a dull shade of gray, and several chairs were pushed up against the wall.

Sitting behind a desk was a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, with dark brown hair and green eyes (finally, someone with normal eyes!) with olive-toned skin. She was beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as Heidi. She smiled tentatively at Demetri and Heidi, who nodded in response. She gave me a sympathetic glance, like this had happened to her before. I wondered whether or not she knew what was going on here. I made a mental note of asking her later, that is if I ever saw her again.

Our little group kept walking. We reached a wooden door. I gulped. Demetri tightened his grip around my waist.

"You'll be fine," he whispered in my ear. I smiled a little. At least I knew he wasn't going to let whatever was behind that door hurt me.

Heidi opened the door, and my knees buckled. There were probably about twenty people in the large room that was before me. Every single one of them turned to look at me with expressions of shock and disgust. There were three in the front, two black-haired, one white-haired, that weren't as surprised. I took them to be the leaders. Their expressions ranged from boredom, to sullen, to disinterested. The one in the middle raised his eyebrows.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he inquired. Heidi stepped forward. The man held out his hand, and Heidi took it. He lowered his head and closed his eyes in concentration. Demetri seemed relieved that it was Heidi that stepped foward and not him. I wanted to ask him why, but I wasn't sure. At that moment, the man lifted his head and nodded.

"Fascinating," he murmured. He walked towards me and Demetri. The other two followed, and I noticed another behind him, less than a foot from his back. It was a fair-haired woman dressed in a long, black cloak. _She must be his bodyguard or something_, I mused.

The man looked at me and cocked his head to the side slightly.

"What is your name and what brings you here, sweetling?" he asked in a warm, sugary voice that was obviously fake.

I wondered what I was going to say. I decided to just tell the truth and get this over with. I hoped they would let me go home.

"My name is Sophie. I was running away from somebody when I stepped on the manhole and fell through it. Then Demetri found me and he and Heidi took me here to you," I explained. I was surprised my voice didn't betray me and illustrate my fear of these strange people, who obviously weren't normal.

"And who were you running from, darling?" he asked in the same tone he used before.

"Um...my cousin..." The man raised an eyebrow and nodded. He turned to the other two behind him.

"Brothers, what should we do with her?"

The white-haired one shot a glare at me. I shuddered. He looked irritated for no apparent reason.

"Aro, we should just eliminate her. I know what you're thinking. You think she should replace Gianna. And _I_ think she's not worth it. So, let's just kill her," he said. _So, that's Aro, the guy Heidi was talking about. Hmm_, I mused in my head.

Okay, _now_ I made my fear known. The wooden door I'd just come through looked like a possible escape - then I realized I had a sprained ankle. I had unknowingly put weight on it and whimpered a little. Demetri looked at me in concern. I just nodded reassuringly. The three cloaked men were discussing something in low, quick whispers I couldn't hear, but they whipped around to look at me, hearing my complaint. I blushed and pointed to my ankle.

"I think I sprained it when I fell," I explained, not exactly telling the truth.

Aro raised an eyebrow and turned to his brother. He spoke loud enough for me to hear now. "I believe we should keep her."

"No!" the white-haired man shrieked - quite loudly.

Aro turned to face him. "Now, Caius. She may be an asset to us."

Caius sputtered a little, and then cussed under his breath in a language that sounded like Latin. Latin? Isn't that language extinct? Obviously he was taught well.

"I still think you should think about it more, Aro. You haven't even laid eyes on her until just a few minutes ago! You don't know what she's capable of," he said, calmer now, but still shocked.

Aro turned back to me and held out his hand.

"Take my hand," he asked of me. "You can trust me, I won't hurt you."

But I knew what he didn't say. _I'll only hurt you if you make me._

Hesitantly, I reached out for his hand, and my hand was trembling in fear. He nodded in encouragement. I put my hand in his. He lowered his head, tightened his grip on my hand, and closed his eyes. I realized this was the same thing he did when he took Heidi's hand. I suddenly didn't feel so confident. I tried to jerk my hand back, but his grip was like a vice. After a few tugs, I gave up. When he finally let go of my hand, I was relieved to pull it back.

"Is she suspicious?" Caius asked, somewhat desperate. He obviously was the on the just-kill-her-and-get-it-over-with side of things. But his question confused me. Suspicious? Now that he mentioned it, I was sort of suspicious. But what did Aro know about that?

Aro answered my question for me. "Very," he replied gravely. Wait, how did he know that?! Caius just smirked, and I swear he had the most eager, let-the-fun-begin look on his face. I was fervently wishing I could just disappear in a puff of smoke, but knowing that was impossible, I just sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening to get me out of here.

Just then, Aro turned to the other black-haired man, who looked, in a word, bored. There wasn't really any other way to describe it.

"What does she feel of us, Marcus?" he asked. The man, who I now knew as Marcus, turned to me and looked me in the eye. I looked back and seen a man who was heartbroken, depressed, uncaring. I wondered what possibly could've happened to him that made him that way. After a few seconds, he turned back and whispered something into Aro's ear. He seemed sastisfied with Marcus's answer.

"Interesting, Marcus. We shall vote. Alec, do you mind?"

Almost instantly after Aro spoke, a small boy with dirty blond hair immerged out of the crowd. Just then, I lost all of my senses. I couldn't see, feel, or hear anything. I couldn't even smell anything. I tried moving my arms and legs, and I also tried to at least say something, but I wasn't sure if I had succeeded.

After a few moments, I got my senses back. I realized I was heavily leaning on Demetri. I glanced at him and blushed. He smiled a little, and my heart could've melted. It was like looking at an angel. I blushed again and looked away. I heard him chuckle quietly.

Then, the trio turned towards me.

"We have made our decision."  


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**Okay, there's chapter 2. As always, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I need the feedback! It helps me write better.**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

I took a deep breath and exhaled. My knees were shaking, and if Demetri wasn't holding me up, I'm pretty sure I would've collapsed.

"We have decided to give you a choice," Aro stated.

A choice? Was he serious? _Hallelujah!_ I could go home!

"A choice?" I repeated. I wanted to _absolutely sure_ he wasn't jerking my chain.

"Why, yes, of course. That would only be right. Your choice is simple. Do whatever we ask of you, or die."

Okay, I wasn't expecting that. My eyes widened and if Demetri hadn't of been holding onto me, I would've sunk to my knees. As it was, I looked up at Aro with a pleading look on my face.

"I...I...can't go...home?" He looked at me sympathetically, as if he wanted to let me go but had no other choice but to force me to stay. "I mean, I don't know what's going on here, but I honestly don't care. I'll never come back here, _ever._ I'll avoid you guys like the plague. You can forget about me completely. Just please...please, let me go." I was pleading, begging. I would do absolutely anything to convince them to let me go home. Aro's expression hardened.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that. Make your choice: join us, or die."

I thought over my options. My first option was to join these strange people, who were obviously more than human, and if they were human, they were pretty weird. My second option was to die, which wasn't a very attractive option at that. And I was pretty sure the way they'd kill me wouldn't be pleasant. So, I made my choice.

I was going to do the unthinkable. I was going to jump into deep, dark water headfirst, and if something bad happened, well, I could deal with it later. My main focus at this point was staying alive. I decided to leave my old life behind - my family, my friends, everything that ever mattered to me. Nothing was important in that moment besides staying alive.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "I'll join you."

The words were painful to say, especially considering what I was leaving behind, but life is about moving on. And if I had to move on from this - well, I would. Would this choice be for the better? I didn't know. But what I did know was I definitely didn't want to die.

Aro clapped his hands together, seeming pleased. "Wonderful, just wonderful! Corin, show her to her room, please...and explain everything to her."

Corin nodded and stepped out of the crowd. I guess I was too caught up in worrying about whether I was going to live or not to notice her. She jerked her head in my direction, gesturing for me to follow her. I hobbled to her side, and she grabbed my elbow and steadied me.

"Thanks," I mumbled. She smiled slightly.

We walked up a few flights of stairs, and suddenly we reached a room. Corin opened the door and I stepped into my new room. The way it looked kind of reminded me of a hotel room. The wallpaper, the carpet...it all looked like it came out of a Super 8.

I was too busy checking out my new room to notice Corin close the door and sit down in the little armchair in the corner. I walked over to the bed and sat down. I glanced at Corin, who had a peaceful look on her face.

"What did Aro mean by 'explain everything'?" I asked. Corin just looked at me and chuckled.

"You won't believe it." I cocked an eyebrow.

"Try me," I challenged.

Corin sighed and looked me in the eye seriously.

"What I am about to tell you is a secret. If you told anybody, I'd have to kill you. And I mean that literally. If you try to escape from here, you die. Understood?"

"Yes." I swallowed hard and my pulse jumped.

Corin smirked.

"Okay, now this is what Aro wanted me to tell you..." She trailed off, obviously not sure how to finish.

"Go on, I can take it." I smiled encouragingly. The suspense was killing me.

Corin's gaze fell from my eyes to the floor. Then she looked up again, her red eyes locked on mine.

"All of us here - me, Aro, Caius, Marcus, etcetera - are vampires. Now, before you flip out, I want you to know that we _will not_ hurt you by any means. Aro 'needs' you." She made little quotation marks in the air with her hands.

I snorted. "Yeah, you're a vampire and I live next door to Charlie the unicorn," I scoffed. I couldn't believe her.

"I'm serious," she said solemnly.

"Prove it." I seriously did _not_ believe she said that.

"Fine." She got up from her seat.

I raised my eyebrows, waiting. She smirked and said, "Watch me."

Then, in a split second she was on the other side of the room.

"What the-?"

Before I could finish my sentence, she was standing where she was two seconds ago.

"How are you _doing_ that?" I gasped.

"Why are you breathing?" she retorted.

"So...this is...natural...to you?" I asked, shell-shocked.

"Sure is," she replied.

"Wow," I breathed. "Do I have to...become a vampire?"

"Maybe. Or if Caius gets his way..."

"You don't have to finish that sentence."

"I know." She smiled ruefully. I smiled back, but it didn't touch my eyes.

She spent all night explaining everything to me about vampires. How the sunlight, holy items, and garlic don't bother them, how they don't sleep, and their extreme speed and strength. I couldn't believe it when she said she was two hundred years old, and I was shell-shocked when she told me Aro, Caius, and Marcus were three thousand years old. In all of my wildest dreams, I never imagined that vampires even existed, much less that I would work for almost forty of them. She explained that this large group of vampires are known as the Volturi, but the name only really applies to the ancients and their wives, Sulpicia and Athenodora. Marcus's wife, Didyme, was murdered. I felt terribly sorry for him after she explained that.

It was about one in the morning when she was finished telling me everything.

"Oh, my! I must've gotten caught up in my story and lost track of time. I have to remember that you need to sleep to function properly, just like I need blood..." She trailed off, realizing what she'd said. Smiling apologetically, she said, "Sorry."

"It's okay," I reassured her. "It's something I'll have to get used to."

"Yeah. But you'll adjust." She grinned. "Gianna will be here in the morning to explain the gist of your new job. Be ready and outside your room by seven-thirty A.M," she continued. "You'll be fine, I promise." As she was walking out of the room, I had to ask her something. Something about the receptionist, Gianna.

"Corin?"

She turned.

"Will Gianna become one of you?"

She pursed her lips, seeming hesitant to answer.

"Well...we don't know. The ancients' decision will probably not be unanimous, though. Caius wants to kill her, Marcus agrees with Caius, and Aro seems to be reluctant to change her but doesn't want to kill her. Basically, Gianna's mortality is balancing like an elephant on a tightrope."

"What does Gianna want?" Did she have the same choice as me? I hoped so.

"Gianna wants to become one of us. She's made that clear. The ancients either have to agree or come to some kind of compromise. But, unfortunately, it doesn't look like Gianna has that much longer to live," she said, with a sense of finality. I frowned, and my lip quivered, like I was about to cry.

"It's all right, Sophie. It's called the circle of life. You're born, you live, you die. It happens all the time."

"I know," I said, my voice sounding thick.

Corin frowned also. She left with a quiet "good night" and left me alone.

I had a very hard time falling asleep that night.  


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**Alrighty, chap 3 is up :) REVIEW PLEASE. I'm having a bit of writer's block, so it's going to take me longer than usual to update! Just hang tight, chap 4 will be up soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

It was about three hours after I had managed to fall asleep when I heard the creaking of my door as it opened. I was half-awake, so I was slightly aware of some things.

A cool hand pressed down lightly on my shoulder. At this slight touch, my eyelids fluttered open and I looked up to see none other than Demetri. He looked down at me with soft eyes.

He didn't say anything as I sat up and rubbed my eyes, trying to gain some awareness. I just stared at him. He finally recognized that as his cue to explain what the hell he was doing in my room at four o'clock in the morning.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he stated matter-of-factly.

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" I asked. I meant to be a little snippy, but instead it sounded groggy. Demetri didn't seem to notice.

"That's for me to worry about. You'll be safe, I promise."

I smiled. He was so caring.

Whoa, whoa, hold up. I normally didn't trust people this easily - the product of a bad childhood - so what was I _doing_? This was uncharacteristic behavior for me. I mean...he seemed trustworthy. But he was a _vampire_. Didn't they fall into the don't-trust-me category? But I wanted to trust him. He just seemed so genuine, so...right. Some part of me was telling me he was dangerous, that I should avoid him at all costs. Another part of me was saying that he wasn't going to hurt me, that I shouldn't worry so much.

Life is so unfair. Sigh.

I suddenly realized I probably looked like a mess, so I limped to the bathroom. I turned to Demetri.

"Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I won't be long."

"No, I don't mind," he said.

After I was showered and presentable (wearing the same clothes I was wearing yesterday), I wanted to know how the hell Demetri was going to get me out of here.

"Can I go back to my apartment? My roommate is probably driving herself crazy worrying about me."

"Maybe, if-" He stopped mid-sentence, and I heard him growl menacingly.

"What?" I whispered. Before I take another breath, I was on his back and he was running at what I assumed was full speed for a vampire. He must have picked up something I couldn't hear.

_"Maledicalo," _he hissed. "I should have known...this is so _stupid_ of me..."

"What?" I said again, but a little louder.

"This is going to be a hell of a lot harder than I thought. Did Corin tell you about vampires and special abilities?" he asked, his voice frustrated, but I knew it was turned inward. He was mad at himself, not me.

"No, she didn't."

"Well, now's not exactly the most _convenient _time to explain this, but you work with what you have, I suppose. Anyway, Aro has a gift, a very powerful one at that. With a single touch, he knows every thought your mind has ever held. When he took your hand, he was reading your mind. He knows that I told you I'd help you escape. See the problem?"

"Oh, no. Please don't tell me we're being _chased_?!" My voice shot up about three octaves.

"I'm afraid we are."

"Shit," I muttered. "Now what?"

"We'll just have to outrun them. I can't turn and fight, because that would put you at risk." He sighed and turned his head toward me. "I'll make you safe again, _il mio dolce_. I promise."

I smiled, and buried my face in his shoulder.

Sometime after that, I fell asleep.

I expected to wake up to safety and Demetri's face, but instead, the scene I woke up to was far from that.

It was worse. Much, much worse.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

"It's awake," I heard a voice snarl, followed by a few cruel laughs. It wasn't a pretty sound to wake up to, that's for sure.

I jerked upright, startled and scared all at once, the previous feelings of peace completely gone, and met the crimson eyes of Caius, who had a sneer on his face. A few members of the Guard were surrounding him. I recognized Corin and the boy Aro called Alec, and two others - a small girl with the face of a Botticelli angel that appeared to be Alec's twin, and a hulking man with cropped black hair.

"I'm not an _it_, thank you very much," I snapped.

"Do I look like I care?" he asked rhetorically. Honestly, he didn't, but it wasn't like I was about to tell him.

I looked around at my surroundings. We were in a subterranean complex, probably deeper in the ground then the tunnels Heidi and Demetri had led me through. I was in a corner, propped up on my elbow. I stood up, and my muscles were stiff. My ankle was throbbing, but I honestly didn't care.

"Where's Demetri?" I demanded.

He smiled cruelly. "He's been contained. Oh, don't worry. Your _lover_," he spat the word, "is not dead - yet. He will be punished accordingly, and, well, I'm going to be a little theatric. _You're_ going to watch him burn." He laughed, and it made my skin crawl.

"NO!" I shrieked. My eyes pricked, and I wanted to cry. But not out of grief - out of rage. I was furious - not a common emotion for me. I had a long fuse. But if you pushed me, you could get a reaction that wasn't nice.

Caius pushed me enough to get that sort of reaction. But, before I could act on it, I suddenly felt sharp, burning pain all over my body. I screamed, and before I knew what was happening, I was writhing with agony.

The girl stepped out from behind Caius and walked towards me slowly, a sadistic smile on her lips. Once she reached me, she bent down and stated "My name is Jane," in an angelic voice (not that I was fooled). "And I'm your worst nightmare."

Briefly, the pain got worse, then it went down a little. "Now, you're going to pay for screwing with the Volturi," she said between gritted teeth. The pain ebbed slowly, but then I felt somebody grab me by my hair and throw me against the wall. Mercifully, I braced myself so my head wouldn't get injured, but I as I hit the wall, I felt a snap, and I let out an agonized shriek. My arm was broken.

Then, Caius glided over and stepped down hard on my leg. I heard it snap, and I cried out again. He just smiled as sadistically as Jane had. "There. Now you'll know not to-"

He was cut off by somebody slamming him into the wall and pinning him there. With a shock, I realized it was Demetri. I figured Alec, Jane, and the huge man whose name I didn't know would take care of Demetri, but that didn't happen. As they turned to help Caius, they just froze. Shocked, I looked around and met Corin's eyes. She was focusing hard on the three vampires. She grinned at me without actually looking at me, and kept concentrating. Demetri then proceded to throw Caius against the other wall. He wasn't hurt, just dazed.

Corin dropped her focus for a brief second, told Demetri something in Latin, and then threw Jane, Alec, and the other guy in Caius' direction.

My hero scooped me up gently into his arms and kissed my forehead, then took off running, Corin on his heels.

"How bad's the damage?" I croaked.

"Broken bones and blood loss. But you'll be fine," he promised me. Remorse flashed through his eyes.

"Don't...be sorry. You did the best you could," I said weakly.

"I know. That's not exactly what I'm sorry about, but it's certainly part of it..."

"Then what is it?" I asked gently. My voice was still hoarse, and I felt like I was about to pass out.

"Well..." He hesitated, not wanting to finish.

Just then, we reached a small group of trees on the edge of a cliff looking out to the Mediterranean Sea. He gently laid me down on the soft grass. He knelt down beside me, as did Corin.

"Please forgive me for this," he said, a pleading look in his eye.

"Demetri, you don't-" I began, but just then, he pressed his lips to my throat, and bit me.

At first it just felt strange, then I felt as if a fire had broken out inside my body. The pain was so intense I felt my eyes widen and I screamed. A cold hand clamped down on my mouth. Demetri lifted his head from my neck, and my eyes wheeled around. I realized the hand on my mouth was Corin's.

"This will be over soon," she promised.

"What's happening to me?!" I said, my voice shaking.

Demetri was the one to speak this time. "You're becoming a vampire."

* * *

**YAY! Sophie's gonna be a vamp! I thought it was about time, lol. And just so you know, in the vampire index at the back of BD, it says that Corin is gifted, but it doesn't say how she's gifted, so I gave her one :) Her gift is if she focuses on you long enough she can make you freeze for about five minutes. But if she stays focused you can become frozen indefinitely. So, yeah! :D Anyways, REVIEW PEOPLE. I have no clue how chap 6 is gonna turn out, lol, so bear with me!**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

If I were to say the pain was excruciating, it would be a horrible understatement.

For the first day and a half, the pain was all I could focus on. It never changed unless it got worse, which, because it was so bad, I thought was impossible. I tried not to scream, to beg Demetri and Corin to just kill me, because I knew we would be found out if I did. From what I heard, the Volturi wouldn't take this lightly.

After a while, I could feel my senses getting better. I could hear things I had never been able to before, I was able to clench my fist with effort, and I could also open my eyes, but my vision was strange - warped, almost. Like I was looking at a TV with bad reception. _My sight must be changing, too, _I thought.

Speaking of thinking, I soon found I could think around the pain, or at least try to focus on something other than the raging fire inside me. Sometimes I counted Demetri's or Corin's breaths. I was never fully distracted from the horrible burning, but at least I kept myself somewhat occupied.

Three days had passed, and I could feel the pain slowly receding from my fingertips and toes. _Yes, the pain's leaving! _But the fire always seemed to move to my heart. With every bit of pain that left from my arms, my legs, or my face, the burning in my heart got worse.

"Oh!" I gasped, and my heart started beating like a jackhammer.

"She's almost done," Corin said eagerly.

I felt pressure on the inside of my wrist. "The pain will stop soon, love," Demetri murmured to me.

I was panting now. "It...sure...doesn't...feel...like it."

He laughed a little. How could he be so calm? "I know, I know."

As my heart kept galloping towards it's last beat, he kept trying to soothe me, trying to keep me from shrieking with agony. I appreciated him waiting through this long, painful process, never leaving my side.

Suddenly, my heart gave two small thuds, and then it forever stopped.

I was holding my breath, and I could tell Corin and Demetri were, too.

I slowly opened my eyes, and gasped in surprise.

My improved sense of sight was amazing. I could tell it was early morning, and the sun was shining through the leaves of the trees, casting a rainbow of colors, and an eigth color I had no name for. Slowly, I stood up - or at least I thought it was slowly. A sixty-fourth of a second had passed, and I was upright. Corin was leaning up against a tree with an alert expression, obviously on the lookout for any potential danger.

Demetri was at my side, and he put his hand on my shoulder. "I know, it's disorienting at first, but you'll adjust."

I turned to look at him, and he was smiling. Now that I was looking at him with new and improved eyesight, he was even more beautiful than I thought. As a human, I could've been half-blind. Just then, he took my face in his hands and kissed me lightly. That show of affection seemed to have flipped a switch inside of me, and I deepened the kiss. Corin very obviously cleared her throat.

"Hey, love birds, come here! I think I see something."

I pulled away from Demetri and rolled my eyes at Corin. She just laughed.

"Seriously! Come _here_."

The two of us darted to her side. I looked down the valley she was pointing to, and seen a group of four hikers - humans - nearby. I inhaled deeply, and when I did, I felt a scorching feeling in my throat, and took off running. I could sense Corin and Demetri behind me.

I lunged at the first human I could see and sunk my teeth into his throat. He screamed twice and fell slack in my arms shortly afterwards. I vaguely registered Demetri feeding off what appeared to be the man's wife, but I was too busy with my kill to really notice.

Once we had disposed of the bodies, the shock of what I had just done finally hit me. I leaned on a tree and put my face in my hands. Demetri wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"What's wrong, dear?" he asked, concerned.

"I just killed innocent people!" I exclaimed.

"That's the way life is for us. It's just the guilt of your first kill, you'll get used to after a while. Humans will mean less and less as the years go by," he assured me.

I sighed. Suddenly, I heard a slight rustling in the trees. I growled menacingly and lowered into a crouch, as did Corin and Demetri.

"We come in peace," said a male voice with an accent I couldn't place.

"We?" Demetri asked in surprise.

"Yes. Me and Vladimir. Demetri, I'm sure you know us."

What the hell?

* * *

**How's that for an unexpected twist? =D Anyways, I'm not sure what Sophie's special ability should be. I orignally thought telekenesis (moving things with the mind) or clairvoyance (getting a good, bad, or indifferent feeling about a person, place, or object), but idk. Help me out here! And I love reviews -hint hint-**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author note: Now, for those of you who have read Breaking Dawn (the fourth book), you will know that Stefan & Vladimir are the last of the Romanian coven, since the Volturi burned their castles down who-knows-how-long ago. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

_Chapter 7_

Demetri cocked his head to the side as the two vampires emerged from the woods. One had short, pale brown hair and the other was ashy blond.

"Stefan?" Demetri asked, surprised and shocked, then he turned annoyed.

"Ah, so you do remember me."

"Of course. You're the two that Aro and Caius call the Romanian assholes. I couldn't agree more."

Stefan chuckled and Vladimir snorted. "Amusing. Send them our thanks," he said sarcastically.

Demetri narrowed his eyes. "What are you two doing here in Italy? Aren't you supposed to be plotting revenge or something?" he asked with a smirk.

Vladimir growled under his breath. Stefan placed a hand on his shoulder. "Patience, brother. We need to speak with the ancients," he informed us.

"What for?"

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't speak to you about this. It's... never mind. Would you take us to them?"

All three of us exchanged glances. Demetri spoke tentatively instead of suspiciously now. "We...aren't a part of the Volturi any longer. Corin, my mate, and I broke off from them."

Vladimir, who had remained quiet, spoke up now. "I never thought it was possible. You were so loyal, Demetri."

"I was," he agreed. "But I met Sophie," he inclined his head toward me, "and I changed my ways." He turned and smiled at me. I smiled back.

Stefan studied me carefully. My eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Your mate is quite young, I see," he observed.

"Yes, she is. As a matter of fact, she just completed the transformation process."

"Wow. She is _very_ young. Do you think she's talented?"

"Well, um..." Demetri glanced at me and then Corin, who shrugged. "We aren't sure."

Vladimir raised his hand slightly. "We know of someone who can sense the abilities of other vampires."

Demetri nodded. "Eleazar. I remember him. He was the one who ran off with that Spanish vampire... Carmen, I believe. He lives with a group of vegetarians in Alaska, now."

"Yes," Stefan said impatiently, but I could sense a very faint hint of eagerness hidden behind the impatience. "We could take you to him. He would be able to help you."

The two Romanian vampires exchanged a glance, and something passed between them that I didn't understand.

"Can we have a moment to discuss the matter?" Demetri asked.

Stefan and Vladimir looked at each other again, then back to Demetri. "Of course," Stefan began.

"We understand," Vladimir finished.

The three of us formed a small circle. Corin, who, thus far, hadn't said anything, spoke up first. "I don't know if we should trust them. They're the _Romanians _after all. Devious and untrustworthy."

"Corin, we could seek refuge in the Americas. Aro wouldn't bother-" Demetri started, but she cut him off.

"Don't tell me Aro wouldn't bother coming after us. I'm sure, as sure as I know that lightning follows thunder, he's going to chase us down. You're the best tracker in the world, Demetri! Do you think he's just going to let you go? Remember the time he threw a fit after Eleazar left? I'll bet that would happen, a hundred times over, if _you_ left."

Tracker? Huh? "Whoa, wait up," I cut in. "Tracker? What do you mean?"

Demetri chuckled. "I suppose I didn't tell you what I'm capable of. I'm a tracker, meaning that I can locate any one person with a ten mile radius by their brain waves. It's a very powerful ability, the only reason Aro kept me around."

I nodded, understanding. "I see." I glared at Corin while I said, "And can I offer my opinion without getting my head bit off?"

She just rolled her eyes. "Yes. I wasn't biting Demetri's head off. I was just... driving my point home."

I blew it off. "Whatever. Anyway, this is how I see things. If we go to this coven in Alaska, we could not only find out what I can or cannot do, but we should be safe in North America. I mean, without Demetri, they can't find us as easily." I smiled my encouragement.

"I concur," Demetri said, putting his arm around my waist.

Corin sighed in defeat. "I'm outnumbered, so I guess I have to go along with you guys, huh?"

"Hey, you can always leave," Demetri offered happily.

She gave him a dirty look. "Fat chance."

We turned back to the Romanians.

"All right, Stefan, Vladimir. Take us to the Denali's," Demetri said. Reluctantly, he added, "And thank you."

Stefan smiled proudly. "Excellent. We'd better be go-"

We all froze as we heard light, fast footsteps sprinting through the forest.

Demetri growled. "Son of a bitch..." He trailed off into what sounded like a string of profanities, but he was speaking a language I didn't understand.

"Is that-?" I didn't even have to finish for them to know what I meant.

"Unfortunately," Corin muttered.

And with that, the five of us took off into the Italian landscape as fast as our feet would carry us.

* * *

**Okie dokie, artichokey. There's chap 7! hope you guys like it! :) Anyways, I thought including the Romanians would be a surprising and/or interesting twist for everybody :) And you still don't know what Sophie's special ability is. MUAHAHA.  
I'm evil, I know xD Anyways, REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hokay, so I shall torture you know longer! Thank you to AudreyVanHeemstra for suggesting Sophie's ability! I don't suggest you read that review until you this chapter! just so you don't spoil yourself ;) Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 8_

We ran for what seemed like an eternity. By the time we reached Venice, we stopped.

Well, I stopped.

"Hey, are we going to Russia today?" I called.

Demetri stopped and ran back to me, as did the others, laughing. "No, love. We're just trying to get to an airport. There should be one here."

"There was an aiport in Florence! Maybe more than one. We didn't have to run this far," I argued.

"It's too late to go back now," Stefan snapped. "Shall we?" He made an impatient gesture with his hand.

He was really starting to get on my nerves. Before I could stop it, I growled. Demetri put his hand on my shoulder. "Easy," he cautioned. "Stefan, watch yourself. She may not seem like it, but she _is_ a newborn, and still dangerous."

"I'm aware of that," he said, irritated. "But we have to keep moving or else _they_ will catch up to us. And I don't think any of us are prepared for that fight."

"I'll agree with you there." Demetri stepped a little closer to Stefan and lowered his voice. "And if you cause any more problems, especially with Sophie, I'll kick your ass."

Stefan laughed without humor. "I'd love to see you try."

Demetri growled, lowered into a crouch, and launched himself at Stefan. If Corin and I hadn't of stopped him, I swear he would've torn Stefan's head off.

While we were trying to keep Demetri under control, Vladimir had crouched defensively in front of Stefan until he waved him off.

After a while, they both relaxed. "Now that you two are done trying to kill each other, can we keep going?" I asked.

"Yes," Demetri said curtly. "But _they_ are _not_ coming with us. I don't think I'll be able to stop myself if this happens again."

"Fine," Stefan said, and Vladimir nodded. "We have better things to do than lead you around."

And with that, the two vampires ran off, leaving nothing but their scent behind.

"Good riddance," Demetri muttered under his breath, though I could easily hear him. "Besides, we don't need them, anyway. I can find the Denali's just as easily as them," he added, a little louder now.

Suddenly, something ran through my mind. If Stefan and Vladimir were annoyed with us, would they tell the ancients where they last seen us and where we were going?

While we were boarding the flight that would take us to Anchorage, Alaska, me holding my breath to avoid massacring the plane's passengers, I voiced my thoughts to Demetri in a voice that humans would register as a soft humming.

After I was through explain, he shook his head minutely. "No, I don't think they'd do that. They wouldn't them to gain any more power than they already have."

I nodded, still worried. I was beginning to think those two were capable of anything.

Once we arrived in Alaska, the three of us hunted, then carried on toward Denali, Alaska, a small village northeast of Anchorage where the coven of "vegetarian" vampires lived, among them a Spanish vampire by the name of Eleazar with a certain gift - being able to recognize the special abilities of other vampires and sometimes even the latent talents of humans, but the latter took a great deal of concentration.

It was when we were deep in the forest that I picked up a scent. It was cold, and sickly sweet. Vampire.

"Demetri, Corin, stop." The two of them instantly halted. "Do you smell that?"

They took in deep breaths. "Is it safe?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Demetri assured me. "It's one of the Denali's...the scent is familiar, but...I'm not entirely sure..." He words trailed off, and soon he kept running into the forest, and Corin and I followed.

Soon, we reached a large cabin, kind of like what you would expect to see at a ski resort, the snow around it sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight.

Or, rather, what was left of one.

We searched through the debris, and soon found a female vampire with strawberry blond hair lying on the ground, and another female, a brunette, kneeling next to her, holding what appeared to be an arm to the blond's body. I could see it trying to reattach, and my eyes widened in pure horror. Corin gasped, and Demetri rushed over to them.

The brunette growled, a warning to stay back. He held his hands up.

"I come in peace. We broke off from the Volturi. What's happened?"

"It was terrible..." she lamented, and I noted the Spanish accent in her voice. This was Carmen. "They came...some of the more powerful members of the Guard...they burned our home to the ground. Luckily, none of us were killed, but Tanya here lost her arm, as you can see."

"Where are Eleazar and Kate?" Demetri asked.

"Over there." She jerked her in the direction of two vampires, the male brunette, the female light blond, who were rummaging through the debris, trying to salvage their belongings. They looked up, and when they saw us, rushed over.

"Eleazar, Kate, I'm terribly sorry," Demetri said.

"It was not of your doing, Demetri," Eleazar said sadly. Then he glanced at me. "Well, is this a new member of the Guard you broke off with?"

"No. She is my mate, and she finished the transformation process earlier today, as a matter of fact."

"Oh. Well, she is quite talented."

My head jerked up and Corin's eyes widened, as did Demetri's. "What? How?" he demanded.

"Something that is quite often talked about in the human world, but a first in the vampire world. She's telekinetic."

Demetri looked at me, smiled proudly, despite the current situation. I smiled back.

"Truly amazing. We could use her."

All of whipped around to meet the milky, red eyes of Aro.

* * *

**As always, REVIEW! And if you wondering why the Volturi attacked the Denali's, it's because they wanted to lure Demetri, Corin, and Sophie into a trap. Which they did. Because I let them.  
And now you probably hate me xD Anyhoo, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS! :D **


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

Well, this was inconvenient.

Surprisingly enough, the only members of the Guard that he had with him were Alec, Jane, and another vampire I didn't recognize. She was the closest to him, sort of like a bodyguard. The idea of a vampire with a bodyguard seemed utterly absurd to me, but Aro was probably used to everyone doing his dirty work - including fighting - for him.

"Leave us alone, Aro. We haven't broken the law. You can leave us in peace," Demetri said, trying to sound diplomatic and reasonable.

"Oh, Demetri," Aro sighed. "You are my prized possession. I couldn't just let you go."

Behind me and beside me, Eleazar and Demetri growled in unison.

"You let me go," Eleazar pointed out.

"Reluctantly, yes." Aro was slowly moving toward us, with the twins and his bodyguard following. With each step he took, we moved back slightly. I could tell Demetri was trying to restrain himself from doing something rash, and I, on the other hand, was grappling with the insides of my head, trying to figure out how this gift of mine was supposed to work. I had the ability to lift things with my mind. But I had no clue how to operate it.

I had to face the facts - if I didn't learn how to do this, we were screwed.

"But with war imminent, I need the strongest, the most powerful," Aro was saying. "The Cullens and their...creation of theirs, is a large threat. It must be destroyed. And with Alice and her gift, they can predict when and where we will arrive, and gather a mass army to destroy us. We need all the help we can we can get."

He looked at us as if we were pieces of jewelry or priceless antiques he wanted to add to his collection.

And that made me furious.

With that emotion came a new feeling, one that surprised me, despite how I felt towards Aro and the Volturi in general. I could _feel_ my gift, I knew it was there and it would do whatever I wanted.

I remembered something Demetri had said while we were running here. _"Most gifts work better when you're angry or otherwise stimulated. My theory is that certain vampires' gifts work the same way the 'fight-or-flight' instinct works with humans - the adrenaline rush makes the brain work faster, and you're more prepared for a fight, that is, if you have to fight. I believe that in a hostile situation, a vampire's 'sixth sense' of sorts is more...for lack of a better word, accessible when said vampire is angered."_

All of what Demetri had said suddenly made sense.

Even though I was absorbed in my new findings, only a small portion of my mind was focused on that. The rest of me was murderously enraged. As I focused on that part of my mind in particular, I noticed something peculiar.

The trees' branches were trembling violently, and, when I heard one of the Denali's gasp and seen Aro's eyes widen in surprise and wonder, I looked behind me to see the logs of the destroyed cabin levitating in mid-air.

Surprised and pleased, I concentrated hard on the logs. They lifted higher in the air as I stared them down. Feeling like I could conquer the world in a day, I slowly, carefully, set a few of the logs down, but kept one levitated. It floated over to me almost without me telling it to - almost. It stayed in the air, and I stepped forward a little, the log levitating threateningly at my side. Demetri was about to walk with me, but I mouthed the word, _No_, and he stayed put - reluctantly.

"Aro, I know this won't hurt you, but it would sure knock you off your feet. I suggest you leave before I have to do anything violent," I warned, sounding more confident that I felt.

"Dearest Sophie, I wasn't going to harm you. It was just merely asking you and the others to come back to the Guard, where you belong."

When he said _where you belong_, any sort of previous control I had disappeared. I hurled the log at him with my mind, and Aro, stunned, flew backwards and hit a tree, snapping it in half with the force of the collision. Jane, Alec, and Aro's bodyguard were shocked into motionlessness. Before I could think about it, I took off into the forest.

Soon, I heard footsteps behind me. I quickly looked back, and almost laughed in relief when it was just Demetri, Corin, and the Denali's, including Tanya, with her arm somewhat attached to her body again. I slowed down a little so I could be at Demetri's side. He smiled and grasped my hand.

"That was brave," he said to me.

"I know," I answered. "I sounded a hell of a lot more confident than I felt." I paused and asked, worried, "Wait, they aren't following us, are they?"

Demetri seemed unsure. "I don't know. It all happened so suddenly, they weren't expecting it. They're probably still trying to get their bearings together."

I sighed. "I think I just screwed things up for us. Majorly."

"No, you didn't," he assured me. "Even if they do decide to come after us, we have a pretty good head start. They probably won't catch up to us - and if they do, it won't be for a while."

We ran for a long time. It wasn't tiring, since none of us slept, but we did have to take hunting trips every now and then, which was risky. We couldn't afford to stop and possibly run into one of the Guard - especially not Alec or Jane. Or both. Any one of us would be doomed.

Once we had crossed the Canadian border into America, I started wondering where we were heading.

"Where are we going?" I inquired to anybody who might answer me.

"To a town in Washington state called Forks. There's a coven there - the Cullens, the one Aro mentioned - that are good friends of ours. They'll help us, I'm sure," Tanya responded.

I nodded, then recalled Aro saying something about a "creation". "What did Aro mean by 'creation'?"

Demetri was the one to answer me this time. "Three years ago, the Volturi accused the Cullens of creating an immortal child, a mere infant changed into a vampire. It's a heinous crime, and nobody is stupid enough to commit it anymore. The Cullens didn't create an immortal child, but instead, it was a half human, half vampire child that was born of a human mother, Bella, and a vampire father, Edward - something none of us had ever seen before. We arrived to tear and burn - to purge our world of what we thought existed - but Aro found the Cullens to be innocent, and, much to Caius' displeasure, we left them in peace."

"Wow," was all I could say. "Do you think they'll help us? Put the past aside and be friendly?"

He frowned. "I hope so."

I hoped so, too. All our lives - and I use that word loosely - depended on it.

* * *

**YAY! There's chap 9. The next chapter is going to AWESOME guys!! :D I'm really excited to start writing it.  
REVIEW PEOPLE! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

Forks, Washington can be described by one word - rainy.

It could also be described as boring and/or depressing. But I soon realized that this small town on the Olympic Peninsula is the perfect place for vampires to live without being found out. With all the cloud cover, we didn't have to worry about being caught in the sunlight, and have a human see us sparkling like a million diamonds.

I mean, you'd freak out if you saw that, wouldn't you?

Anyway, we stayed out of the town. Nobody wanted to take any chances with me around - still a newborn, still dangerous to any humans in the area. I had average self-control, but nobody wanted me committing rampant, accidental murder and have the humans get suspicious - or worse, hear or even see it happening.

When we reached the Cullens home, it was the last thing I was expecting. The gorgeous white house ahead of us was huge, and I wondered what a coven of vampires wanted with a house that..._big_. It made more sense to go small, lay low.

Then again, these were probably not your average vampires - if such a thing could even be considered "average".

As we approached the house - or, more appropriately, mansion - we were greeted by tense, bronze-haired male that Demetri addressed as Edward.

"Demetri. What a surprise," he greeted him.

Demetri nodded in acknowledgment. "Hello, Edward. I come to you and ask you to put the past aside, and help us. I know that I haven't been especially cordial to you in the past, but I need your assistance now."

Edward cocked his head to the side. "You're not a part of the Volturi anymore." He didn't say it like a question, more like a statement. Like he..._knew_.

"No, I'm not. I met Sophie and realized that they aren't what they say they are."

Edward's face, once guarded, grew solemn and understanding. "I see. What do you need from us?"

"I need you to...keep us safe. I know it sounds ridiculous, but Aro isn't about to let us live out our existence in peace," Demetri explained.

Just then, a female vampire with caramel-colored hair emerged from the house with a tall, blond male at her side.

"Of course. Oh, and my name is Esme," she said warmly, and turned to the vampire at her side. "Carlisle?"

"Yes, yes, of course. It is not healthy to hold a grudge. Come inside, please." He gestured for us to come in.

I glanced at Demetri warily. "It's okay," he assured me. I took his hand and followed the three Cullens inside, with Corin and the Denali's behind us.

Once inside, the Denali's explained what happened to their home, and Demetri explained what happened with the three of us. The Cullens said that all of us could stay with them until we weren't targets anymore.

***

Getting along with the Cullens and the Denali's was easy - they treated us as if we'd been a part of the family forever. Though Edward's mind reading could be annoying at times, we coexisted easily.

It was the first time in a long time that I'd actually felt safe. Now that we weren't on the run anymore, I was able to hone my skills and spend time with Demetri, and soon I wondered whether or not the Volturi had just decided to leave us be, since Alice wasn't picking up any danger in the future. She just seen a peaceful co-existence between everyone.

That is, until something drastic happened that completely shattered my happy, peaceful bubble of safety.

Two weeks after we had settled in Forks, a suspicious letter arrived at the house - with no return address. Carlisle opened it and gasped. We all rushed over to him. It read:

_Carlisle, I'm so disappointed in you - harboring fugitives. Such a dishonorable action. When we pick up human recruits, we warn them not to escape or else we will kill them. That rule doesn't apply to them only while they're human. Once you become one of us, you are __always__ one of us._

_-Aro_

A feral snarl ripped from my throat, and vases started rattling, so Demetri put his hand on my shoulder to calm me. When that didn't work, Jasper sent calming waves toward me, but it still didn't completely distill my anger.

"He _lied_!" I growled.

"Not a big surprise," Rosalie muttered under her breath.

"Wait, what did he lie about?" Bella asked, confused.

I was too livid to answer, so Demetri answered for me. "He said he didn't mean us any harm. I knew he didn't mean it, but..."

"But you couldn't help hoping," Edward finished for him.

Demetri just nodded sadly. My hands were clenched into fists and I was trying very hard not to let my anger get the best of me - which was challenging, since I was a newborn and my mood and actions could be unpredictable. Jasper was staying close to me, ready to restrain me if necessary.

Alice was looking into the future - I could tell because her eyes were focusing and unfocusing - over and over.

"Any luck, Alice?" Carlisle asked, his voice strained.

She was about to shake her head, but she stopped the action. Her eyes unfocused and wide, and her mouth formed a small "O".

"No, no, no!" she exclaimed in her high soprano voice, which sounded even shriller than normal.

"Oh, no..." Edward lamented. The sound was choked.

Jasper was at Alice's side in less than a nanosecond. "What did you see, Alice?" he asked quickly.

She murmured something that sounded like, "The Volturi are coming. Except...it's not the same as last time. They're...stronger than last time....no, it can't be!", but the sound was indistinct, like she wasn't really trying to speak.

"The Romanians. They gathered an army of newborns to..._help the Volturi?!_" Edward screeched. The statement started out solemn, but Alice's vision must have shifted before he was finished. Her eyes unfocused then.

"No, that doesn't make sense," Demetri said. "They wouldn't help them! They've been enemies since the dawn of time!"

"Alice, search the Romanian's futures. Maybe you'll pick up something useful," Jasper half-suggested, half-ordered.

She nodded, and her eyes became glassy and reflective again. Edward gasped. "Now that makes more sense than the Romanians actually helping the Volturi," he said.

"What?" Demetri asked, frustrated and confused.

"They've brought together an army to destroy the Volturi if they don't destroy us first. They have seen this as an opportunity to eliminate the Volturi once and for all."

"But wouldn't Aro have read that in their thoughts?"

"Well, yes, but... there's a certain newborn in the army that has a gift, it seems, but I don't know the specifics."

Alice was back in the present again at this point. She shook her head solemnly. "It's all so confusing and unlikely. I can't make heads or tails of it. But I do know this. We need to be prepared. They'll be here within two weeks."

She left the room. Bella put her head in her hands.

"Not again..." she moaned.

Renesmee patted her mother's leg and murmured, "We'll be fine."

I hoped with every fiber of my being that she was right.


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

The Cullens knew from experience that wallowing in hopelessness doesn't get anything done, so soon after the shock settled in, we started preparing for probably the largest army any of us had ever seen.

Over the course of the two weeks before the Volturi and the mass army of newborn vampires came to this small town of Forks, I worked on my telekenesis even more than usual. Mostly Bella helped me with that - she knew what it was like to struggle with yourself, to reach and connect with a part of your mind you never thought existed.

I also practiced basic fighting techniques with Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and Demetri, or sometimes even Alice or Rosalie helped me.

But we also gathered as many vampires that were willing to help us. All sorts of vampires with all sorts of abilities from every corner of the earth came - some from Ireland, Egypt, and even a strange coven from South America came.

For the Cullens, it was deja vu.

For me, if I still needed to breath I wouldn't have any room to do it.

Because of my new, sharp memory, I didn't have a hard time remembering everybody's names, but it was still crowded. I knew it was hard on the werewolves, too, because of the stench.

Well, we could say the same about them, I suppose.

***

Two days before the Volturi arrived, we camped out in the baseball clearing where the Cullens and their witnesses came three years ago, the last time this happened.

The wolves - both packs - and Renesmee slept peacefully the night before they came. I was watching Renesmee for Bella while she hunted, smiling down at the girl with the appearance of an eight-year-old but the mind of an adult, when Demetri came over and sat beside me.

"Isn't she just exquisite?" he murmured.

I nodded. "She really is," I agreed, but I was absentminded.

Demetri wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "They won't harm us. I'm pretty sure they won't even try," he assured me, guessing my thoughts. "And besides, even if they do fight, we'll put up a good defense. You've really improved over the past two weeks, Soph. And with Bella on our side, we don't have much to worry about other than physical attack."

I sighed. "I know. I just can't help worrying..."

He kissed my cheek. "I know. You know, I'm worried, too. But we can't let that bring us down."

I frowned. Of course, I agreed with him, but it still didn't lighten my mood. _This might be the last time we get to be together like this, _I thought to myself.

I suddenly remembered that there was something I'd been wanting to ask him since day one.

"Do you remember when you told me I reminded you of someone?"

"Of course."

"Well, who was she?" I prompted.

"Now, don't overreact, but... you remind me of my fiancee."

I blinked. "Your...fiancee?"

"Yes. Her name was Lorena, and our engagement was arranged, since that's how those things worked back then... Anyway, she was...quite infatuated with me, but the feelings weren't mutual. The day before we were supposed to be married, none other than Jane found me near that exact same manhole you fell through. I was changed later that night."

I nodded slowly. "I see." A pessimistic voice in the back of mind was whispering to me, warning me that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't exactly telling the truth. Maybe he really did love this Lorena, and he might love me because I looked her like, or acted like her. I told it to shut up.

"Don't worry, though. She means nothing to me now, and she never has. You're my everything, Sophie," he told me softly.

I smiled. "Same here."

He smiled back, and then we kissed for what I hoped wasn't the last time.

* * *

**Aww :) Anyways, there's chapter 11! sorry, it's kinda short, but the next one should be longer.  
Now I know how a lot of people like this story, but I'm probably going to wrap it up within the next chapter or two.  
Really sorry, but I just can't see it going farther than one or two more chapters :( I had a lot of fun writing it, and THIS WON'T BE THE LAST STORY FROM ME.  
I'm thinking about writing another story soon, if I can. But for now, I hope you enjoy this and PLEASE REVIEW!! :D**

~sarahlovestwilightyesshedoes aka Sarah. 3  



	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

_They_ came in the morning.

It was a solemn, tense event. Just before they emerged from the trees, everyone started saying their goodbyes.

Demetri was squeezing my hand so hard it would have broken a human's hand - not that it bothered me. It actually gave me a sense of safety - that, if we died, he'd be by my side. We would go out together.

None of us were going down without a fight, however. Before the Volturi and their mass army showed up, everyone was divvying up opponents. Kate, Corin, and Emmett would focus on their main offensive tools, Jane, Alec, and Felix, and Bella, Edward, Demetri and I would focus on their defensive players, Afton, Santiago, and Aro's bodyguard, whose name I now knew - Renata.

When they finally arrived (for a group of vampires, it sure took a while), I was shocked by their numbers. There were probably about twenty newborns, who were being directed by the Romanians - when they came into sight, on either side of me, Demetri, Corin and I snarled. The newborns responded with the same reaction.

As they approached us, we all tensed. Some even lowered into crouches, ready to launch themselves at the closest enemy. When the wolves approached from the forest, the newborns' hostile expressions turned into ones of shock and disgust. I noticed that Jacob wasn't around - I supposed he was keeping Renesmee a safe distance away from the fight that might go down.

The procession slowed and parted slightly, letting the ancients into view. They didn't stop - they just spread out, coming at us from all sides. I was getting anxious, clenching and unclenching the fist that wasn't being held by Demetri.

Carlisle and Edward (with Bella and Alice close at his side) stepped forward. All of our positions shifted slightly - we couldn't risk losing any of them.

Carlisle raised his hand. The procession halted.

"Aro," he called. "Let's work this out, shall we?"

I swear I could hear Caius growl all the way across the clearing. Aro put a hand on his shoulder; he shook it off.

The three ancients, with Renata close behind them, glided forward until they were a safe distance away.

"Oh, Carlisle," Aro sighed, stepping forward slightly, Caius and Marcus staying in place. "I certainly wish we could work this out as peacefully as possible, but I do not believe that is the answer here."

Edward pursed his lips and darted back to our side of the line, Bella and Alice at our side. Esme put her hand on his shoulder, her eyebrows furrowed. He hugged her reassuringly and whispered something in her ear that seemed to relax her - or maybe it was Jasper.

Carlisle nodded to Bella, who shook her head minutely. He quickly mouthed, _I'll be fine_. She frowned, but narrowed her eyes in concentration, reluctantly pulling her shield back from Carlisle, who held out his hand to Aro in offering.

"You only need to touch me to see my view on this situation," he said, sounding diplomatic - or trying, at least.

Aro pursed his lips slightly, deciding. After a moment, he nodded and closed the distance. He took Carlisle's hand briefly before letting it go.

Suddenly, Edward snarled ferociously, the sound cutting through the air like butter. Every pair of eyes in the clearing turned to face him, including mine.

"Is _that_ what you were planning to do?" he thundered, then launched himself at Aro.

Bella, Alice, and Esme tackled him to the ground, and with some difficulty, he finally settled down, standing up slowly, but still glaring at Aro. The newborns were crouching, snarling and snapping their teeth.

Carlisle's expression was questioning.

"He came here to destroy Renesmee, not to drag Sophie and Demetri back to Volterra," Edward snarled. Esme gasped quietly, and Bella growled menacingly. Edward lowered his voice dangerously and warned, "Aro, if you lay so much as a finger on my daughter, I will..." He trailed off, too angry to finish.

At some signal I didn't see, the guard and the newborns inched forward. All of the vampires on our side crouched, including me.

It all happened very quickly then.

* * *

***dun dun dun!* xD  
Anyways, this chapter isn't too great, but the next one is going to very exciting! Hope you enjoy :D  
And like always, review!**


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13_

I was being hit from all sides, both by the newborns (who were surprisingly easy to defeat - the Romanians obviously weren't controlling them well) and the incredibly experienced Guard. With Bella on our side, their mental abilities didn't do too much good, and they had to rely on brute physical force, and the wolves were putting up a good defense as well. The high-pitched keening sound of metal being shredded apart rang through the clearing, along with the sonic boom of boulders colliding as vampires slammed into each other.

As the fight progressed, I noticed I hadn't seen the ancients anywhere. _They must have fled as soon as they gave the signal to attack,_ I thought to myself.

I didn't have much time to keep thinking as three inexperienced newborns were ganging up on me.

***

Edward, Bella, Alice, and Demetri were helping me fight off the last of the newborns until Alice recognized one we were about to finish off as the gifted newborn in her vision - the one that had persuaded Aro not to touch the Romanians (who were nowhere in sight, mind you - cowards).

"Please, please don't kill me! I-I didn't think we would be up against something like this! I just...I just want to figure out what to do with myself in this new life." The young-looking little blond was scrambling for excuses. I had pity on her and released her from my telekinetic grip.

"Sophie, what-?" Demetri started, but I raised a hand to cut him off.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Demetri," I told him.

"Not _everyone. _And this newborn is proof."

My eyes widened. "I can't believe you'd say something like that." I bent down so I could be on eye level with this girl who obviously was changed young, possibly thirteen or fourteen.

"Now, we won't hurt you unless we see it necessary" - I glanced at Demetri as I said that part - "so I expect you to cooperate with us. Will you?" I asked her calmly.

"Y-yes," she said, nervous and scared.

I smiled, hoping it relaxed her. "Good. What's your name, sweetie?"

Her blood red eyes looked at me warily. "Valeria," she replied, and I noticed her subtle Italian accent.

"Well, Valeria, will you come with me?" I asked her.

She smiled, and it was dazzling. How could she have been so vicious a second ago? "Of course!" She hopped up from her sitting position.

Demetri muttered something unintelligible as I wrapped my arm around the girl's shoulders. She looked at me and mouthed, _Thank you._

_Your welcome, _I replied. She smiled again, but this time it was a little shy, not as bright as before.

We gathered the squirming (gross...) body parts into a pile. Demetri took a silver butane lighter out of his back pocket and lit the pile, and it instantly caught fire. The smoke was purple and the scent was sweet, like incense.

We watched the bonfire until it was nothing but a pile of ashes.

Soon, everybody realized what a wonderful victory we had achieved, and cheers erupted. Demetri threw his arms around me and swung me around in a circle, while I laughed delightedly, fervently relieved that we had - basically - scared the Volturi off.

Once we had gotten the fervent joy and relief out of our systems, we made our way back to the Cullens' house.

***

Valeria was discussing with Carlisle and Jasper about the Cullens teaching her their vegetarian lifestyle, and about the possibility of her staying with the Cullens through her newborn year.

It turned out her gift was similar to Renata's - mental diversion, the only difference being that she wasn't able to project it out from herself, so she wasn't a shield. Her gift came in handy when you didn't want somebody to do something - such as Aro reading the Romanians' thoughts. She made him think that he didn't want to do that.

After that hearing that, I knew how valuable she was to Stefan and Vladimir (who ran off once their newborns started dropping like flies).

***

As all of us ran through the forest at a rather slow pace (though it was still too fast for human eyes to see without it being a blur), Demetri, who was - of course - at my side, tightened his grip around my hand, smiling at me. I expected to feel happy - overjoyed, really - that we were together, that we were both still alive, and that he was _mine_, but...I didn't. Those nagging suspicions of the night before were...well, still nagging.

I decided to voice my doubts. If that voice in my head that was whispering fear to me was right, I would just get pissed and run off. It was the story of my life - my human life.

"Demetri..." I hesitated, not sure how to begin.

He glanced at me, and his eyebrows knit together in confusion at my wary expression. "What's wrong?" he asked, worried.

I took a deep, unnecessary breath and took the plunge. "Remember when said you never loved your fiancee, last night I mean?"

He looked puzzled at the subject, but nodded and said, "Yes."

"Were you...telling the truth?" I asked slowly.

I mentally crossed my fingers.

"Of course! Why would you think I was lying?" he asked, shocked.

"Well..." I hesitated again, getting nervous. I was sure if my heart were still beating it would be hammering. I finished in a rush. "I've been thinking the only reason you fell in love with me was because I looked or acted like Lorena, and I know it seems a little-"

He cut me off with a kiss. When he pulled away, he seemed truly surprised that I would come to such a conclusion. "Sophie, how could you ever think that I love anyone, whether they be of my past or otherwise, more than you? I love you, and I mean it. Nobody else has _ever_ meant as much to me as you do. _Nobody._"

And in that moment, I knew he meant it. But I still asked, "Really?"

"Yes."

And with that, we kissed once more, then continued on through the forest...through the rest of eternity.

_The End.

* * *

_**Well...that's it.  
Sorry if you guys expected more, but I just can't see it going any farther than this :(  
I'll be making another story soon, so look out for it! :)**

**-Sarah  
**


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